Tool having a hand grip construction



Jan. 30, 1962 IN V EN TOR.

Zfiflamam Malfsan.

ATTOQN EY United States Patent 3,018,497 Patented Jan. 30, 19623,tl18,47 T061. HAVING A H. ND GREP CONTRUT10N Elchanan Echikson, SouthGrange, N.J., assignor to Red Devil Tools, Union, N..l., a corporationFiled Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 359,332 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-143) The presentinvention relates to new and useful improvements in structuralrefinements in tools and is directed more particularly to the provisionof a handle construction having general utility in the arts.

The invention resides in the particular construction, arrangement,combination, and relationship of the various elements, components andinstrumentalities of a bandle construction for the tangs or shanks ofbladed tools, such as putty knives, wall scrapers or the like, asexemplified in the detailed disclosure hereinafter set forth wherein theobjects of the invention, as defined in the paragraphs below, will beapparent.

The invention, accordingly, embraces broadly the concept of a handleconstruction for the tangs of tools, such as putty knives, wall scrapersor the like, and it will be helpful to an understanding of my inventionto first briefly consider some of the more important features andaspects thereof, so that the same may be kept in mind during thesubsequent reading of the detailed description of the practicalembodiment of my improvements and of the illustration thereof in theannexed drawing.

Accordingly, it is first to be noted that my invention may be embodiedin any device having a handle construction affording an ample grip forthe user of the tool.

According to novel features of the invention, the handle constructionincludes a pair of metal members, called shells, which are recessed ontheir outer sides and have inserts seated therein. The shells aresuperposed on op posite sides of a tang, and with the inserts seatedtherein, are riveted to the tang so as to form a rigid and strong handlestructure.

The shells each have bottom longitudinal side, upper, and rear end wallswith bolster portions at the inner forward ends thereof. The wallsforming the shells preferentially are relatively thin, are formed fromstiff metal, are made to provide the desired strength and rigidity, andare shaped to provide a desirable hand grip. The bolster portions areextremely rigid and strong, as is necessary in tools of the type towhich the invention relates.

The parts are readily and easily assembled in the manufacture of thetool, and the means securing the components to the tang provide a tightconnection not likely to become loose in the use thereof.

As a further refinement, the inserts for the recesses of the shells maybe formed from numerous materials to provide the desired strength andrigidity. Wood, various types of plastic, vulcanized fiber, hard orsemi-hard rubber, and/or pressed products have been found to bedesirable, and material for the inserts may be selected for the color orornamental characteristics thereof, should that be desired.

In addition to the practical advantages which I have herein beforeascribed to my novel handle construction, it will be observable that achief feature of the invention resides in the combination of anelongated shell formed from relatively thin rigid metal to have anarcuate outer rear end wall and opposite longitudinal side wallsextending forwardly therefrom in relatively converging relation to aninner forward end formed as a bolster, with the side and rear end wallshaving upper portions curving over inwardly and terminating in an upperwall, and with the upper wall provided with a longitudinal slot havingside edges relatively converging from the outer rear end of the shell inparallelism with the side walls, and with rear and forward end portionsof the upper wall at the opposite ends of the slot depending from theplane of the upper wall and terminating in parallel bottom Wall portionsextending towards one another, and with the slot and rear and forwardend portions of the upper wall and sides of the slot cooperating to forman insert receiving recess.

Further objects hereof are to provide a tool conformable to thedesiderata of the preceding paragraphs and offering specificimprovements in the various operating instrumentalities comprising same,which themselves are minimum in number, so that it is simple and compactin accordance with the demands and desires of manufacturers andpurchasers alike and so as to provide distinct advantages in that it isdistinctive in its appearance, practical in its value, durable in itsorganization, reliable in its opera-tion, and eflicient in its use.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages, some of whichwill in part be obvious and apparent and some of which will in part bemore fully pointed out in the progress of the disclosure, and to the endof attaining these and any other object and advantage hereinafterreasonably appearing, it will be explained that the invention consistssubstantially in the combination, construction, location and relativearrangement of parts, as described in detail hereinafter, as shown inthe annexed drawing, and as defined with particularity in the appendedclaim forming a part hereof.

It will be apparent however that the physical embodiment delineated isonly indicative of but one of the various ways, albeit the preferredexemplification, in which the principles of the invention may beemployed and in which the component parts may be combined and arranged.Same is submitted as one best known embodiment of the invention inaccordance with the patent statutes and is given with a view toillustrating and explaining the precise nature of the principles of theinvention and their embodiment for practical use, in order that othersskilled in the art may be enabled to adapt and modify them in numerousembodiments, variations and modifications, each as may be best adaptedto the conditions of any particular use.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by thelanguage of the specification and the spirit represented thereby andsame is limited only by the prior art and the scope of the appendedclaim.

I wish it understood that the objects of the invention are susceptibleof attainment by use of constructions different in certain respects fromthat disclosed, minor changes and variations in the size, shape,thickness, form and variations in size, shape, thickness, form,proportion, dimensions, integration, cooperation of material and/or typeof subassembly an accessory utilized in the inven tion being previouslyreverted to, all without departing fromthe underlying principles, scopeand spirit of the appended claim.

It is premised, however that such adaptations and/or modificationsshould be and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning andrange of equivalence of the below subjoined claim there being no intentto have this invention limited to or circumscribed by any specificdetails.

These above named objects we accomplish by means of such structure aswill fully appear from a perusal of the description which follows andthe illustrations in the accompanying drawing, where like characters ofreference are employed to designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shell component of the handle constructionof the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an insert component of the handle constructionof the invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a tool having the handle construction securedthereto; and

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tool shown in FIG.4.

With continued reference now to the drawing, which illustrates a typicaland preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosureand forms a part of this specification, I have shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 apair of similar handle forming shells 2 with which my invention may beadvantageously incorporated.

Each said shell 2 is formed from relatively thin and stiff or rigidmetal to have longitudinal opposite side walls 4, and an outer rear endwall 6, all of which are vertically disposed. At upper portions, saidwalls curve inwardly to merge with an upper wall 8.

The rear end wall 6 is arcuate in shape, and the side walls 4 relativelyconverge therefrom to an inner forward end wall of the shell. Said innerwall provides a strong rigid bolster portion B which is desirable inhandles of tools of the type to which the invention relates.

The upper wall 8 of the shell is slotted at 10, with the edges of saidslot being disposed substantially parallel to the side walls 4 of theshell, as shown.

An outer rear end portion 12 of the upper wall 3 and an inner forwardportion 14 thereof extend downwardly from the plane of the upper wall 8to a pair of lower bottom wall portions 16, same being horizontallyspaced from each other to provide an opening 17 therebetween. Thus, theshell is provided with a recess in which an insert is seated in theassembly of the components forming the handle construction.

The shell 2 may be formed by any well known metal working method, andthe bottom wall portions 16 are provided with openings 18 and 20 forsecuring means. To provide the end wall portions 12 and 14, the bottomwall portions 16 and 16 are displaced relative to the plane thereof.

A pair of inserts are provided, such as shown in FIG. 3. Said insertsare formed to be receivable in the recesses of the shells, and may beformed from wood, pressed material, vulcanized fiber, or from any of thenumerous types of plastic.

Said inserts are provided with openings 32, 34 and 36, havingcounter-bores for use as securing means.

In assembling the components of the handle construction, the shells havethe bottom wall portions superposed on opposite faces of the tangportion 42 of the tool.

With the inserts 30 in the recesses of the shells, the componentssecuring means extend through openings of the shells and inserts, aswell as through openings in the tang. Such securing means may take theform of rivets 44, 46, 48, hollow or otherwise, with opposite endsthereof being disposed in the counterbores of the inserts.

Thus, not only is the handle construction rigid and strong because ofthe stifi relatively thin walled shells and inserts, but the bolsterportions are rugged so as to withstand the usage of the tool.

The handle construction is. economical to produce, and provides aneflicient and comfortable hand grip for the user of the tool.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of operation of my invention together with theapparatus which I now believe to represent the best embodiment thereof,but desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown and describedis only illustrative and that my invention may be carried out by otherarrangement.

It is to be further understood that the phraseology or terminologyherein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.Although specific terms and expressions are employed for purposes ofidentifying various components, they are used in a generic anddescriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation and areintended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Without further analysis, the foregoing is intended to so fully revealthe gist of my invention and its construction and operation that otherscan, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for variousapplications without omitting features which, from the standpoint ofprior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its genericand/ or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and otherchanges, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest orrender expedient, are contemplated since the invention is susceptible ofsuch without departing from its real spirit or underlying principles.Stated otherwise, it is not desired to limit this invention to the exactconstruction shown and described as the objects hereof may be attainedby the use of constructions different in certain respects from thatdisclosed.

The invention is claimed, broadly as well as specifically, as indicatedin the appended claim, and same are desired to include within the scopethereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalentsby which substantially the results of the invention may be obtainedthrough the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices ormeans. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determinedby a proper interpretation of the subjoined claim.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

The combination with the flat tang portion of a hand scraper of a handgrip construction comprising a pair of elongated similar shells, eachsaid shell formed from relatively thin, rigid metal and havingvertically disposed longitudinally extending side walls and a verticallydisposed outer rear end wall and a forward inner end bolster portion,said side walls of said shells relatively inwardly converging from theouter rear ends thereof, said outer rear and side walls curving inwardlyto form a generally horizontally extending upper wall provided with anelongated slot, rear and forward portions of said upper Wall extendingdownwardly from said upper wall and terminating inhorizontally-extending bottom wall portions contiguous with oppositefaces of said tang portion, said slot and rear and forward portions ofsaid upper wall and bottom wall portions providing an elongated recess,inserts seated in the recesses of the shells, and means extendingthrough said inserts and bottom wall portions of the shells and tangsecuring them in rigid grip forming relation to said tang.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS656,457 Hirsch Aug. 21, 1900 2,271,290 Echikson Jan. 27, 1942 2,581,062Allen Jan. 1, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,386 France May 15, 1896

